l/f-  d 


I  ALUMNI  LIBRARY, 

I    THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY,    | 

*  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Book, 


CIIlilSTIJjY  WEAPON'S   NOT  CARjXJlL,  BUT  SPIRITUAL 

A 

SERMON, 

DELIVERED    IN    THE 

SECOND   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 

IN  THE  CITY  OF  BALTIMORE, 

OCTOBER    13,  1826  • 

AT 

W^t  Xnstallatiott 


THE  REVEREND  JOHN  BRECKINRIDGE, 

AS  COLTEAGUE    WITH    THE 

REVEREND    JOHN  GLENDY,   D.   D. 

IN    THE    PASTORAL  CHARGE    OF    THE    SAID    CHURCH. 


BY  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.  D. 

PROFESSOR    OF     ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY  AND    CHURCH    GOVERN- 
MENT,   IN    THE    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY    AT    PRINCETON, 
NEW-JERSEY. 


PRINCETON    PRESS. 

PRINTED   BY  D.  A.  BORRENSTEIN. 

1S26. 


THE  SBVRXiEND    SEIM'ZOR   FASTOB, 

AND  THE  MEMBERS 

OF    THE 

SECOND   PRBSBVTISRIAIf  CHURCH, 

IK  THE  CITY  OF  BALTIMOREy 
THE  FOLLOWING  SERWION, 

rVBLISHED  AT  THEIIl  REaUEST, 

IS,    WITH    FERVENT    WISHES    AND    PRATERS    FOR    THEIR 
TRUEST    PROSrERITY, 

MOST  RESPECTFULLY  AND  AFFECTIONATELY 

DEDICATED,  13  Y 

THE  .1UTH0R. 


ciinrsTLiJv  jvejpojVs  jYot  cabj^al,  but  spiritual 

A    SERMON. 


II.   CORINTHIANS  X.  4. 

FOR  THE  WEAPON'S  OP  OUR  WARFARE  ARE  NOT  CARNAL 
BUT  MIGttTY  THROUGH  GOD  TO  THE  PULLING  DOWN 
OF    STRONG    HOLDS. 

As  long  as  man  retained  his  primitive  innocence, 
he  loved  truth,  and  was  ever  ready  to  give  it  a  cor- 
dial welcome.  But  the  moment  he  fell  from  God 
and  from  holiness,  truth  became  painful,  and,  of 
course,  odious  to  him.  He  felt  that  he  could  no 
longer  listen  to  it  as  a  friend,  speaking  peace;  but 
must  henceforth  regard  it  as  an  enemy,  which  could 
deliver  no  other  than  a  hostile  message.  Accordins:- 
ly,  when  we  read  (hat  the  holy  and  happy  tenants 
oi' Eden  had  become  rebels  by  eating  the  interdict- 
ed fruit,  the  next  thing  we  rend  of  is,  that,  on 
hearing  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  walking  in  the 
garden^  they  hid  themselves  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  among  the  trees  of  the  garden.  And  the  Lord 
called  unto  Adam,  and  said  unto  him,  Where  artthov? 


6 

And  he  said,  I  heard    thy  voice  in  the  garden,  and  I 
was  afraid,  and  I  hid  myself. 

From  that  fatal  hour,  all  cfiorts  to  impress  moral 
and  religious  truth  on  the  minds  of  men,  have  been, 
properly  speaking,  a  waufake  ;  that  is,  in  whatever 
direction  they  have  been  applied,  they  have  never 
failed  to  meet  with  resistance.  As  all  men,  by  na- 
ture, hate  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus;  and  as  all  men, 
quite  as  universally,  are  opposed  to  thespirit  and  the 
demands  of  gospel  obedience  ;  it  follows  that  all 
attempts  to  procure  the  reception  of  the  one,  or  to 
enforce  the  practice  of  the  other,  must  be  made  in 
the  face  of  hostility  :  a  hostility  not,  indeed,  always 
equally  bitter  in  its  hatred,  or  gross  in  its  violence  ; 
but  suW  real  hostility,  which  nothing  can  appease  but 
a  surrender  of  Jehovah's  claims  to  the  inclination  of 
the  rebellious  creature.  Hence,  whenever  the  ban- 
ner of  truth  and  righteousness  is  raised  in  any  place, 
opposition  never  fails  immediately  to  arise:  and 
however  unreasonable  its  chareicter,  or  revolting  its 
aspect,  in  the  view  of  the  truly  spiritual  mind,  it 
usually  bears  away  the  multitude,  and  would  always 
do  so,  did  not  Divine  power  interpose  to  prevent  it. 
The  human  heart,  left  to  itself,  is  ever  ready  to  bid 
w^clcomc  any  plajisible  llatterer,  who  will  ^'•prophe- 
cy deceits,'^''  and  say,  in  the  language  of  the  first  de- 
ceiver, "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die.''- 


Of  the  truth  of  these  remarks,  we  have  a  striking 
example  in  the  history   of  the  chiircli  of  Corinth. 
The  apostle  Paid  had  laboured  in   the  ministry  of 
the  Gospel  in  that  city  for  a  considerable  time  ;  and 
his  labours  had  been  crowned  with  success.     Num- 
bers were  added    to  the  professing  people  of  God. 
Soon  after  he  left  them,   however,   a  false  teacher 
came  among  them,  who  appears,  from  various  hints 
dropped  by  the  apostle,  to  have  been  a   man   of  ho- 
nourable birth  ;    of  fine  talents  ;  of  polished  educa- 
tion ;  and  of  great  skill  in  all  the  arts  and  refinements 
of  Grecian  eloquence.     He  was  evidently,  also,  as 
such  impostors  commonly  are,  a  man  of  lax  princi- 
ples ;  ever  ready  to  accommodate  his  doctrines  to 
the  pride,   the   prejudices,  and  the  corrupt  passions 
of  those  whom  he  addressed.     This  artful  deceiver, 
on  the  one  hand,  set  himself  with  peculiar  bitterness 
against  the  apostle  ;    found  fault  with  his  birth  and 
education  :  alleged  that  Jiis  bodihj presence  was  mean, 
ami  Ids  speech  contcmpUblc  ;  and  insinuated  tliat  he 
was  really  no  apostle.    On  the  other  hand,  he  boast- 
ed much  of  his  own  origin,   learning,   eloquence, 
and  other    accomplishments,    and    endeavoured   to 
persuade  the  people  of  Corinth  that  he  was,  in  eve- 
ry respect,  PauVs  superiour. 

Unhappily,  the  situation  of  the  Corinthian  church 
at  this  time  was  peculiarly  favourable  to  the  views 


B 

of  such  an  impostor.  In  consequence  of  the  sur- 
rounding wealth  and  luxury,  and  the  remarkable 
exemption  from  persecution  which  it  had  for  some 
time  enjoyed  ;  a  large  number  of  its  members  were 
deeply  tinctured  with  a  worldly  spirit.  In  fact,  the 
church  there  seems  to  have  been  full  of  professors 
who  were  far  from  having  either  the  knovvledg:e, 
the  steadiness,  or  the  spirituality  which  became 
them.  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  this  false  teacher 
found  admirers  and  followers.  He  raised  a  consi- 
derable party ,which  gave  much  trouble  to  the  friends 
of  truth,  and  which,  for  a  time,  threatened  the  peace, 
if  not  the  existence  of  the  church  in  that  city. 

The  inspired  apostle,  in  th{*-|jassage  of  which  our 
text  makes  a  part,  seems  to  be  directly  addressing 
this  false  teacher  and  his  adherents,  and  repelling 
some  of  the  insinuations  which  he  had  made  against 
himself.  In  reply  to  the  charges, — that  he  was  des- 
titute of  the  credentials  of  an  apostle, — and  that  he 
had  none  of  those  decisive  and  energetick  means  of 
resisting  oppo^ers,  and  supporting  his  authority, 
which  they  supposed  a  teacher  sent  from  God  ought 
to  exhibit ;  the  apostle  declares, —  Though  rve  walk 
in  the  flesh,  \\\^X  is,  though  we  inhabit  mortal  bodies, 
and  are  compassed  about  with  fleshly  infirmities  ; — 
yet  we  do  not  war  after  the  flesh — or  according  to 
the  flesh.     For  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not 


carnal,  hui  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down 
of  strong  holds. 

In  the  passage  of  holy  scripture  before  tis,there  are 
two  points  which  demand  our  particular  notice,  viz. 

I.  The  vvKAPONs  which  the  apostle  employed, 
and  to  which  alone  he  gave  his  sanction  ;  and, 

II.  The  GRFAT  EFFICACY  of  those  w capous  :  ihey 
were  mighty  thkough  God. 

I.  Let  us  first  contemplate  the  weapons  which 
the  apostle  speaks  of  himself  as  employing.  The 
iveapons  of  our  ivarfare  are  not  carnal. 

The  word  carnal  means  fleshly.  It  is  opposed  in 
scripture  to  spiritual  or  holy ;  and  is  generally  em- 
ployed by  the  inspired  writers  to  designate  the  prin- 
ciples of  our  depraved  nature.  Thus,  when  it  is 
said,  that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God;* 
and  that  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;j — the  lan- 
guage is  evidently  meant  to  express  the  dominion  of 
that  corrupt  disposition  which  men  bring  with  them 
into  the  world,  and  on  which  the  sanctifying  grace 
of  God  has  not  yet  taken  effect.  Of  course,  by  the 
phrase,  carnal  weapons.,  is  meant,  such  weapons  as 
our  corrupt  nature  forms  and  furnishes.  In  other 
words,  it  is  intended  to  designate  all  those  rfieans 
of  recommending  and  propagating  religion  which 
the  great  Author  of  that  religion  has  not  prescribed, 

*  Romans  viii.  7.  t  Romans  viii.  6. 


10 

but  which  the  wisdom  of  this  world  has  invented. 
Such  weapons  have  been  employed  in  all  ages. 
Thej  are  the  favourite  weapons  of  carnal  men : 
or  rather,  they  are  the  only  weapons  which  such 
men  are  either  qualified  or  disposed  to  employ.  But 
they  are  not  confined  to  carnal  men.  Even  some 
of  those  who  sincerely  love  the  Saviour,  may  be, 
and  have  been,  betrayed  into  the  use  of  means  for 
promoting  his  honour,  which  may  well  deserve  to 
be  styled  carnal^  and  which,  in  themselves,  are  not 
the  less  carnal,  or  the  less  criminal,  because  they  are 
employed  by  good  men.  In  short,  every  method, 
of  propagating  truth,  or  of  recommending  duty,  ei- 
ther real  or  supposed, — which  unhallowed  princi- 
ples suggest,  or  unhallowed  motives  prompt,  or 
w liich,  in  one  word,  is  not  in  conformity  with  the 
Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  may  be  pronounced  a  cai' 
nul  weapon^  the  use  of  which  our  text  indirectly, 
but  most  solemnly,  forbids. 

But  it  may  not  be  unprofitable  to  specify,  a  little 
more  in  detail,  some  of  those  means  which  are  fre- 
quently resorted  to,  for  the  professed  purpose  of 
propagating  religion,  and  which  evidently  belong  to 
the  class  proscribed  by  the  apostle  in  the  passage 
before  us. 

And  at  the  head  of  the  list,  may  be  placed  peuse- 
icuiioN,  whether  ia  its  more  gross  and  violent,  or 


11 

in  its  more  miti2;atpcl   forms.     Bj  the  former,  you 
will  readily  un.lerstand  to  be  meant  all  those  cases 
in  which  the   "  secular   arm"   has  interfered  to  en- 
force the  claims  of  a  particular  religious  denomina- 
tion, or  of  a   particular  set  of  opinions,  by  fire  and 
sword, — by    fines   and    forfeitures, — by  racks    and 
chains,  and  banishment,    and   all  the  various  penal- 
ties which  oppressive  governments,  civil  and  eccle- 
siastical, have  so  often,  and    so   grievously  inflicted. 
By  the  latter  are  intended  all  that  molestation,  abuse, 
or  temporal  inconvenience,  of  whatever  kind,  which 
have  been  heaped  upon  men  on  accomit  of  their  re- 
ligious opinions.     The  narrative  of  these  inflictions, 
and  of  the  diabolical  fury  with  which  they  have,  in 
countless  instances,  been  executed,  forms  one  of  the 
most    melancholy   chapters   in  the  history  of  that 
which  calls  itself  the  Church  of  God.     A  narrative 
the  more  unspeakably  revolting,  from  the  fact,  that 
the  most  shocking  atrocities  which  it  displays,  were 
perpetrated  in  the  name,  and  by  the  alleged  author- 
ity, of  a  God  of  mercy,  and  from  a  professed  regard 
to  his  glory  !  Before  this  enlightened  audience  1  need 
not  say,  that   persecution  for  conscience  sake,  in  all 
its  forms,  is  one  of  the  greatest   absurdities  and  abo- 
minations that  ever  disgraced  the  christian  world  : — 
that  it  is  contrary  to  reason,  to  justice,  and  to  huma- 
nity, and  certainly  not  less  contrary  to  the  word  of 


12 

God,  and  to  all  the  radical  principles  of  oqr  holy 
religion. 

To  the  same  interdicted  class  of  weapons,  we 
may  refer  all  civil  establishmknj  s  of  religion. 
Whatever  m  ly  be  their  form,  or  the  degree  of  their 
rigour:  whether  they  are  intended  to  operate  by 
force,  by  fear,  or  by  allurement :  whether  we  consi- 
der them  as  a  tax  on  error,  or  as  a  bounty  on  faith; 
as  a  legal  provision  for  instructing  the  people  in  what 
the  civil  magistrate  (who  may  be  an  infidel  or  a 
heretick)  chooses  to  say  is  truth  ;  or  as  a  convenient 
eno;ine  in  the  hands  of  government,  for  reaching  and 
controlling  the  popular  mind:  in  all  cases,  they  are 
unhallowed  in  their  principles,  and  pernicious  in 
their  tendency  :  calculated  to  generate  and  encourage 
hypocrisy ;  to  corrupt  the  christian  ministry ;  to 
make  the  care  of  souls  an  affair  of  secular  merchan- 
dise ;  and  to  prostrate  the  church  of  God,  with  all 
its  officers  and  ordinances,  at  the  feet  of  worldly  po- 
liticians. 

Again;  all  human  inventions  in  the  worship 
OF  GOD  are  liable  to  the  same  general  charge.  The 
object  of  these,  in  every  age,  has  been  to  consult 
carnal  prejudices,  and  to  accommodate  carnal  feel- 
ings: of  course,  they  m'e  carnal  weapons.  When, 
therefore,  professing  christians  began,  soon  after  the 
apostolick  age,  to  introduce  into  the  church  rites 


13 

which  the  Saviour  never  instituted,  for  the  purpose 
of  assuaging  the  enmity,  or  conciliating  the  affections 
of  Jews  and  Pagans  :  when  they  borrowed,  from  ei- 
ther or  from  both,  without  scruple,  and  without  the 
smallest  warrant,  as  they  fancied  an  inducement — 
the  smoking  incense;  the  worshipping  toward  the 
East ;  the  bowings ;  the  adoration  of  images  ;  the 
purgatorial  fire  ;  the  merit  of  bodily  maceration  ; 
the  celibacy  of  the  clergy ;  the  splendid  garments  ; 
the  holy  days  ;  the  exorcisms;  the  processions,  and 
all  the  endless  array  of  superstition  ;  insomuch  that, 
as  early  as  the  close  of  the  fourth  century,  the  vene- 
lahle Augustine  complained  that,  "For  one  institution 
of  God'sthey  had  ten  of  man's,  and  that  the  presump- 
tuous devices  of  men  were  more  rigourously  pressed 
than  the  Divine  prescriptions  ;" — who  can  doubt  that 
they  were  chargeable  with  employing  carnal  wea- 
pons? And  when  christian  churches  or  individuals, 
at  the  present  day,  aim  to  allure  the  gay  and  the 
worldly,  by  pomp  and  splendour  of  ceremonial,  by 
that  studied  address  to  the  senses  in  the  public  ser- 
vice of  the  sanctuary,  which  the  primitive  and  purest 
periods  of  Christianity  never  knew;  who  can  doubt 
that  they  also  lay  themselves  open  to  the  'same 
charge?  They  undertake  to  be  wiser  than  God; 
they  employ  means,  which,  however  well  intended, 
can  result  in  nothing  but  mischief.     The  church  has 


u 

no  power  to  "decree  rites  and  ceremonies."  If  she- 
had^  there  would  be  no  other  bounds  to  the  multipli- 
cation rf  them,  than  the  over  varying,  and  ever 
teeminoj  figments  of  human  vanity  or  caprice.  To 
claim  such  a  right,  is  rebellion  against  her  Master. 
To  exercise  it,  is  systematically  to  introduce  supersti- 
tion and  complicated  corruption  into  his  sacred  fa- 
mily. 

Further;  even  Ecclesiastical  Confessions 
AND  FoKMULAKiEs  may  be  so  perverted  as  to  become 
carnal  weapons.  No  one  is  a  warmer  friend  to  these 
summaries  of  gospel  truth,  properly  understood,  and 
in  their  proper  place,  than  he  who  now  addresses 
you.  When  they  are  faithfidly  dravvn  from  the 
word  of  God  ;  when  they  claim  no  authority  but 
that  which  is  founded  on  their  conformity  to  that 
word  ;  when  they  are  imposed  upon  no  man's  con- 
science ;  but  are  honestly  and  simply  emj)loyed  for 
the  purpose  of  excluding  from  the  visible  church 
those  who  are  really  enemies  to  her  radical  truth 
and  order  ;  then  reason,  scripture,  and  experience 
all  bear  witness  in  their  favour.  But  when  thej 
are  erected  into  an  ultimate  rule  of  faith  ;  when 
they  claim  an  inherent  authority  ;  when  they  are 
set  above  the  Bible,  or  on  a  par  with  the  Bible ; 
when  they  are  imposed  on  the  consciences  of  men, 
as  indispensable  passports  to  the  honours  and  cmo- 


15 

himpnts  of  an  established  church  ;  and  even  employ- 
ed 10  ensnare  the  minds  of  unread  and  inex|  erienced 
youth,  as  a  term  of  admission  to  literary  privilej2;es  ; 
then,  instead  of  promoting  truth,  and  cherishing 
pietv,  they  are  hostile  to  both.  Instead  of  maintaining 
iJu  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace  and  love^ 
they  fetter  the  mind  ;  they  ensnare  the  conscience; 
the}  engender  division  and  strife;  they  become  in- 
strumental in  corrupting,  rather  than  preserving  the 
simplicity  that  is  in  Christ. 

The  next  weapon,  of  this  unhallowed  class,  which 
demands  our  notice,  and  which  the  faithful  minister 
ought  to  reject,  is  the  introduction  of  the  subtle- 
TiKS  OF  PHILOSOPHY    iuto  the  simple  doctrine  of 
Christ.     The  religion  of  the  Bible  is  one  thing:  the 
philosophy  of  it,  is  quite  another.     And  although  it 
is  not  always  easy,   and  perhaps  not  necessary,  or 
even  j^roper,  for  a  student  of  the  Bible,  in  his  closet, 
to  banish  from  hi^   mind  ev«  ry  inquiry  which  en- 
croaches on  the  latter;  yet,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  the 
former,  and  the  former  only,  which  ought  to  be  pre- 
sented in  preaching  the  gospel.     And  whenever  the 
ambassador  of  Christ,  instrad  of  proclaiming  the 
simple  gospel,  entertains  lis  hearrrs,  either  in  whole, 
or  in  part,  with  the  refim  m'  nts  of  philosophical  spec- 
ulation, with  thepresumj  tuous  eflTorts  of  carnal  rea- 
soning, he  is   guilty  of  substituting  something   in 


16 

place  of  the  gospel :  he  cheats  them  with  chaff,  in- 
stead of  feedhig  them  with  Zion?s  provision. 

Again;  in  close  connexion  with  this,  we  may  re- 
mark, that  THETKIDE  AND  OSTENTATION  OF  CNSAJVC- 

TiFiED  LEARNING,  are  ccimal  weapons,  which  have 
produced  countless  evils  in  the  church  of  God. 
Genuine  learning,  and  even  profound  learning,  when 
united  with  vital  piety,  is  an  instrument  in  the  pro- 
pagation of  religion,  of  inestimable  value.  To  des- 
pise it,  is  at  once  to  insult  our  reason,  and  the  al- 
miglity  Author  of  reason.  To  decry  it,  is  one  of 
those  devices  of  Satan,  by  which  he  ensnares  even 
good  men  into  the  service  of  his  kingdom.  But 
while  all  this  may  be  confidently  maintained,  'still 
nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  perverted  learning, 
unsanctified  learning,  has  been  the  means  of  turning 
millions  away  from  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  rather 
than  brinjjing  them  into  it.  It  has  been  the  means 
of  inflating  with  pride;  of  corrupting  truth  ;  of  lead- 
ing ministers  and  others  to  rely  upon  intellectual  at- 
tainments and  efforts,  rather  than  upon  the  Word 
and  Spirit  of  the  living  God,  to  bring  men  to  the 
knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  his  glory. 

No  less  liable  to  the  same  charge,  is  the  gene- 

BAL  IDOLATRY  OF  TALENT  IN  THE  CHURCH,  and  es- 
pecially all  reliance  on  mere  human  eloquence  as 
a  means  of  converting  men  to  the  belief  and  love  of 


17 

the  gospel.  That  God  daily  honours  talents,  and 
sometimes  those  of  the  most  transeend.int  order,  by 
using  them  for  the  extension  of  his  kingdnm.  it  is 
impossible  to  doubt.  And  when  they  are  devoutly 
regarded  as  his  instruments,  and  employed  in  humble 
reliance  on  his  grace,  as  that  which  alone  can  render 
ihvm  truly  usefnl,  they  are  genuine  christian  wea- 
pons. But  when  thev  become  oIjjcHts  of  idolatrous 
worship  and  dependence,  they  lose  their  chrislian 
character,  and  degenerate  into  carnal  weapons. 
And,  in  this  case,  there  are  j)rol)ably  none  on  u  hicli 
the  great  Head  of  the  church  is  seen  more  frecjuent- 
]y  and  more  severely  to  froun.  For  his  ghry  He 
will  not  give  to  another.  Among  these  talents,  per- 
haps Eloquence  is  the  most  ensnaring,  because  most 
rare,  and  most  fascinating.  No  man  who  had  eitlu  r 
an  intellect  to  [)erceive,  or  a  heart  ca|)al)le  of  emo- 
tion, ever  undervalued  genuine  eloquence.  It  is  that 
unallfected,  powerful  utt(Mance  of  thought  and  of 
feeling,  which  meets  a  response  in  every  mind  in 
which  thought  and  feeling  find  a  place.  And  yet. 
Eloquence  itself,  however  genuine  and  perfect,  can 
never  change  a  single  heart ;  and  to  rely  upon  its 
et'ficacy  in  persuading  any  man  to  l)e  reconciled  to 
God,  is  to  rely  u|)on  a  carnal  iveapon.  Above  all, 
does  thisappellation  belong  to  the  enijiloyment,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  of  those  artificial  refinements  and 

c 


18 

pomp  of  rhetorick  ;  those  profane' and  vain  hahhlings, 
and  oppositions  of  science  falsely  so  culled;  that 
affectation  and  parade  of  orator} ,  wliieh  so  often 
usurp  the  name  of  eloquence.  My  preaching,  says 
the  inspired  author  of  onr  text,  in  another  place — 
was  not  ivith  enticing  words  of  man'' s  wisdom,  hut  in 
demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  of  power.  And  again 
— Christ  sent  me  to  preach  the  gospel,  not  with  the 
icisdom  of  icords,  less  the  cross  of  Christ  should  be 
made  of  none  effect* 

Nor  cnn  we,  for  a  moment,  hesitate  to  oive  the 
name  o^  carnal iveapons,  to  the  "pious  frauds,"  the  re- 
fined cunning,  dissinudation,  and  stratagem,  the  car- 
nal policy,  and  ail  the  crafty  management,  practised 
on  men,  for  the  alleged  purpose  of  promoting  their 
benefit.  All  these,  even  when  viewed  under  the  most 
fiivourahle  aspect,  are  liable  to  the  general  charge  of 
doing  evil  that  good  may  come;  an  abomination  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  which  hns  corrupted  and  disgraced 
it  from  the  Ixgiiming;  which  is  not  the  less  abomi- 
nable, however,  hecause  it  is  old  ;  and  of  w  hich  the 
ins|)ired  apostle,  in  writing  to  the  Romans,  speaks 
in  terms  of  the  severest  re|)robation.t  How  often  a 
disingenuous,  crooked  policy,  calling  'w&A^  icisdom  ; 
and  a  timid,  temporizing,  uniaithlul  course,  disguised 

*  1  Coi.  ii.  4.  i.  17.  t  Roi"-  i'i-  ^' 


19 

under  the  name  of  prudence,  have  heen  adopted, 
with  tetiiporary  success,  by  ecclesiastical  men,  every 
stiidc^nt  of  history,  and  every  observer  of  daily  oc- 
currences, has  noticed  and  deplored.  Yet  th.y  are 
really,  as  remote  from  true  wisdom,  as  different  from 
genuine  christian  prudence,  as  the  basest  counterfeit 
is  from  authorised  coin. 

All  such  weapons,  the  christian,  and  more  particu- 
larly the  christian  minister,  if  he  would  partake  of 
the  spirit  of  Paul ;  if  he  would  not  disn;race  that  wor- 
thy name  by  ivhich  he  is  called^  must  abhor  and 
avoid. 

Thus  far,  my  friends,  according  to  the  plan  of  the 
apostle,  I  have  treated  the  subject  negatively.  I  have 
told  you  what  his  weapons  were  not,  and  have  giv- 
en you  a  specimen  of  those  which  the  spirit  of  our 
text  forbids.  The  weapons  of  our  warfare,  says  this 
enlifjhtened  and  faithful  minister  of  Jesus,  speaking 
of  himself  and  his  brethren — The  weapons  of  our 
warfare  are  not  carnal.  What  kind  of  weapons, 
then,  did  they  employ  ?  For  the  answer  to  this 
question,  we  are  not  left  to  conjecture.  We  find 
ample  instruction  respecting  it  in  our  context,  and 
in  the  other  apostolick  records. 

Some,  indeed,  suppose  that  the  aposlle  refers  pri- 
marily and  chiefly,  in  this  passajje,  to  the  exercise  of 
those  miraculous  poivers,  with  which  he  and  his 


20 

brother  apostlos  wero  rndowrr] ;  hy  means  of  which 
they  were  eiial)le(l,  when  they  though!  proper,  to  si- 
lence opposition,  and  effectual l_y  to  disphjj  that  an- 
thority  which  their   Divine   Master  had  given  them 
for  edification  and  not  for  destruction.     Those  vn  ho 
ailopt  this   opinion,  consider  the  apostle  in  our  text 
as  declarinii;,   that  the   weapons   which   he  wieldi  d 
were  not  those  of  feebh  fl<'sh  ;  but  such  miraculous, 
supernatural  weapons,  as  liis   enemies  coidd  neither 
sustain  nor  resist,  when  he  chose  to  put  them  forth. 
That  there  may  be  some    reference  here  to  miracu- 
lous gifts,  is,  pei  haps,  not  iini)iol)al)le  ;  but  that  they 
i{V('  jirincipallij  uiitudetl,  we  c.\n  bv  no  means  admit. 
1  his  appears  to  hv  conchisivcly  decided  by  the  strain 
of  the  verse   immediately    following  our  text.     The 
"weapons  emplo}ed    were  such    as  were  adapted,  to 
cast  down  imaginations,  and   every  high  thing  that 
exalteth  itself  against  the  knouledge  of  God,  and  to 
bring  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ.     Now,  obviously,   the  only  weapons  adapt- 
ed to   produce  these  spiritual   effects,   arc   spiritual 
weapons.     Miraculous  powers,  we  know,  wi-re  not 
always  connected  with  cordial  subjection  to  Christ, 
even   in   those  who    possessed  and  exercised  them  ; 
nor  are  they  'ever  represented  in  Scripture  as  the 
means  of  effcctinji;  true  sanctification  in  others.  Spi- 
ritual weapons  alone  are  God's  ordinary  means  of 


21 

producing  this  blessed  effect.  Tliese,  then,  are  here 
chiefly  intended  by  the  apostle.  Weapons  ad- 
dn^ssed  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  i)art  of  oiir  na- 
ture. Weapons  which  make  their  a|)peal  to  the 
reason  and  the  heart  of  man.  Weapons  which  de- 
pend for  all  their  efficacy  on  the  spirit  and  f^race  of 
God  ;  and  which  are  daily  m  ide  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  beUeveth. 

The  same  apostle   who  penned  our  text,  in  the 
sixth  chapter  of  his  Kpistle  to  the  Ephesians,  speaks 
at  lar^e  of  the  christian  armour;  describing  its  seve- 
ral    parts,   and  showing  the  use  of   each.     In  that 
place  it   served  his  purpose  to  speak  chiejiij,  though 
n or  exclusively,  of  t he  c h r ist ia n's  d k f k n  s  i  v e  a  k m o  u  u ; 
such  as  the  girdle  of  truth,  the  breast-plate  of  right- 
eousness, the  shield  of  faith,  and  the  helmet  of  sal- 
vation; which  belong  to  all  believers.      But   in  the 
passage  before  us,  he  had  occasion  to  refer  particti- 
larly  to  the  weapons  of  cukistian  Ministkhs,  and 
more  especially  to  those  of  the  offensive  kind;  or 
those  which  are  important,  not  merely  for  the  pro- 
tection mu\  defence  o(  their  own  j)er.sons ;  but  also 
for  attacking  and   vanquishing  the  enemies  of-  their 
Master.      Even  these   weapons,    liowever,  are  not 
c\KNAL,  but  SPIRITUAL  :  not  intended  to  injure,. but 
to  save ;    not  to  inflict   violence  on  the  persons  of 
those  to  whom  they  arc  directed;    but  to  enlighten, 


22 

to  convince,  to  sanctify,  to  comfort,  and  lead  to  per- 
fect and  eternal  blessedness.  Let  ns  take  a  ciirso- 
sory  survey  of  some  of  these  weapons,  as  we  find 
them  enumerated  in  the  inspired  volume. 

And  the  first  of  these  spiritual  and  potent  weapons 
which  I  shall  mention,  is  the  Woiin  of  Gon ;  the 
Word  of  truth  and  grace  contained  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. This  holy  Word,  when  applied  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  is  indeed  a  powerful  weapon.  Hence, 
in  the  stronj^  language  of  inspiration  it  is  called  the 
rod  of  Jthovah^s  strength  ;  and  in  another  place,  it 
is  repres^^nted  as  the  sword  of  the  spirit  ;*  and  again, 
it  is  said  to  be  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than 
any  two  edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing 
asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  mar- 
row,  and  to  be  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents 
of  the  heart.i  Again,  The  entrance  of  this  word,  we 
are  told  glveth  light;  it  converteth  the  soul;  it  ma- 
kcth  wise  the  simple ;  it  rejoiceth  the  heart ;  it  en- 
li^hteneth  the  eyes;  it  is  able  to  make  us  wise  unto 
salvation.X  Accordingly,  this  is  the  grand  weapon 
on  which  the  primitive  ministers  of  Christ  were  di- 
rected to  rely,  under  God,  for  extending  his  kingdom. 
Go  ye,  said  the  Master  himself,  into  all  the  world, 

*  Ephesians,  vi.  17.  f  Hebrews,  iv.  12. 

I  Ps.  cxix.  130.     Ps.  xix.     2  Tim.  iii.  15. 


23 

and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,  And  to  this 
day,  he  who  pre.iches  the  geiiuine  word  c>f  God  ; 
that  is,  who  preaches  the  Gospel — the  simple,  pare 
Gospel ;  without  the  admixture  of  carnal  reasoninos 
or  vain  philosophy;  he  who  does  tliis  faithfully, 
fervently,  and  affectionately;  does  that  which  is 
much  more  likely  to  be  effectual  in  extendinj^  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  its  power,  than  if  he  were 
to  erect  a  thousand  splendid  temples  for  the  solem- 
nities of  piiblick  worship,  or  to  found  a  thousand 
sumptuous  benefices,  for  the  temporal  support  of 
ecclesiasticks. 

Another  weapon,  by  means  of  which  the  ambas- 
sadors of  Christ  are  bound  to  plead  the  cause  and  ex- 
tend the  reign  of  their  Master, is  the  kight  admin- 
ISTKATION  OF  TiiK  SACKAMKNTs  which  he has  ap])oin- 
ted.  As  the  church  is  a  body  of  professing  people, 
called  out  from  the  world,  and  united  under  Christ, 
their  only  King  and  Head,  there  seems  to  be,  upon 
every  principle,  a  call  for  those  badges  and  seals  of 
the  covenant  under  which  they  are  constituted,  by 
which  we  find  that  ft  has  pleased  their  infinitely  wise 
Sovereign  actually  to  distinguish  them.  By  means 
of  these,  among  other  thinojs,  a  visible  line  of  sepa- 
ration is  drawn  between  the  Church  and  the  World. 
The  visibly  "precious, "are  separated  from  the  "vile."' 
The  "  sacramental  host"  (»f  God's  people  are  embo- 


24 

died  and  arrayed,  in  the  sight  of  the  enemy's  camp ; 
and  an  epitoiiji'  of  their  religion,  as  it  were,  a<1dres- 
sod  to  the  senses  of  every  beholder.  These  se>ils, 
therefore,  the  servants  of  Christ  are  eoniinande<l  to 
administer  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And  hv  the  en- 
lightened and  discriminating  a[)plieatiori  of  them, 
they  employ,  as  long  experience  has  proved,  a  i^en- 
tle,  but  most  potent  weapon,  not  only  for  exciting, 
snstaining,  and  comforting  the  friends  of  their  cause  ; 
but  also  for  drawing  multitndes  from  the  hostile 
ranks,  and  enlisting  them  under  the  bamier  of  the 
Prince  of  peace. 

A  further  weapon,  which  Christ  has  l)een  pleased 
to  appoint  by  his  authority,  and  to  crow  n  with  his 
bh'ssing,  is  THE  holy  discipline  of  the  chukch. 
By  this  is  meant  that  system  of  regulation  and  cor- 
rection, which  infinite  wisdom  has  established  in  his 
professing  family,  as  one  pf  .tlie  great  means  of  pro- 
moting its  purity  and  edification.  A  system  which 
makes  no  pecuniary  exactions;  which  resort-^  to  no 
se(  ular  [)enalties;  which  neither  sells  nor  gives  "in- 
dulgences'' to  thesystematick  sirtner  ;  which  invades 
no  man's  civil  or  religious  rights  ;  but  which,  by  mo- 
ra! power  alone,  that  is  hy  instruction,  by  entreaty, 
by  admonition,  by  rebuke,  by  warning,  by  suspen- 
sion, and,  in  extreme  cases,  by  exclusion  from  the 
visible  church, — removes  offences,  vindicates  the  ho- 


25 

iiour  of  Christ, — causes  the  wicked  to  fear, — and 
promotes  the  benefit  of- the  oftVnders  themselves. 
There  can  be  no  question,  then,  that  the  discipline 
of  the  church,  when  properly  understood,  and  wise- 
ly conducted,  may  be  made  as  really  the  means  of 
convincing  and  converting  sinners,  and  building  up 
believers,  as  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 
I  know,  indeed,  that  worldly  men  both  dread  and 
hate  discipline.  They  are  in  the  constant  habit  of 
considering  and  representing  it,  as  mere  "  punish- 
ment ;"  as  a  '•  hard  and  tyrannical  exercise  of  ec- 
clesiastical authority."  But  I  know,  too,  that  the 
enlightened  christian  loves  it.  lie  regards  it  as  one 
of  the  means  of  grace,  and  as  a  precious  privilege. 
He  knows,  that  if  the  church  be  a  "garden,"  as  the 
scriptures  represent  it, — "  the  garden  of  the  Lord" 
— it  must  be  defended  by  an  inclosure ;  or  else — to 
keep  up  the  figure- — every  beast  of  the  field  would 
waste  it.  But  a  spiritual  inclosure  without  discipline, 
would  be  an  absurdity  in  terms,  as  well  as  contra- 
dictory to  the  Bible.  The  christian,  then,  who  has 
learned  to  contemplate  the  professing  family  of  Christ 
with  the  spirit  of  a  disciple,  regards  the  discipline  ot 
that  family  with  peculiar  interest.  He  is  ready  to 
say,  even  when  the  case  becomes  his  own, — Let  the 
righteous  smite  me ;  it  shall  be  a  kindness:  and  lei- 

D 


.  26 

him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oll.^  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  very  Epistle  from  which  our  text  is  taken, 
we  have  an  account  of  a  case  of  discipline,  which  the 
officers  of  the  church  of  Corinth  were  commanded 
to  exercise ;  which  they  did  exercise;  which  was 
blessed  to  the  benefit  of  him  who  was  the  subject  of 
it;  and  after  the  beneficial  operation  of  which,  he 
was  restored  to  the  fellowship  and  privileges  of  the 
church. 

Another  of  those  weapons  with  which  the  ambas- 
sadors of  Christ  are  to  go  forth  to  their  warfare,  is 
FERVENT,  iMFoaxuNATE  PRAYER.  Prayer  for  the 
pardon  and  salvation  of  the  enemies  of  the  church. 
Prayer  for  the  success  of  all  the  means  of  grace. 
Prayer  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  Gospel,  Thus 
the  same  inspired  apostle  who  penned  our  text,  after 
elsewhere  describing  and  recommending  the  whole 
christian  armour,  closes  all  by  the  exhortation — 
Praying  ahvays,  ivith  all  prayer  and  supplication,  in 
the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  persever- 
ance and  siipplicationfor  all  saints.  And,  surely,  if  Di- 
vine aid  be  constantly  necessary,  and  ought  to  be  un- 
ceasingly implored,  in  the  ordinary  warfare,  of  which 
the  apostle  is  here  speaking;  it  cannot  be  less  need- 
ful in  the  still  more  arduous  warfare,  in  which  thosr 

•*  Psalm,  cxli-  ',. 


27 

whose  oflice  it  is,  to  wi7i  souls  to  Christ,  are  dm\y 
engaged.  While,  therefore,  every  other  prescribed 
weapon  ought  to  be  used  with  as  much  diligence, 
and  indefatigable  perseverance,  as  if  all  depended  on 
the  human  agent;  the  Divine  blessing  should  be 
continually  invoked,  with  as  much  earnest  importu- 
nity, as  if  means  were  excluded.  Every  plan  should 
be  formed  with  prayer  ;  every  effort  nerved  by  pray- 
er;, every  address,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  inclosed 
in  prayer  ;  and  every  service  followed  by  prayer. 

I  shall  only  mention  one  more  of  those  spiritual 
weapons,  by  which  the  enemies  of  Christ  are  over- 
come, and  his  religion  effectually  propagated.  I 
mean  holy  example.  It  was  long  ago  enjoined  by 
the  Saviour  himself — Let  your  light  shine  before  men, 
that  others,  seeing  your  good  works,  may  glorify  your 
Father  in  heaven.  And  often,  since  that  injunction 
was  given,  has  the  bright  example  of  christian  meek- 
ness, purity,  humility,  and  benevolence,  been  the 
means  of  silencing  the  gainsayer ;  of  extorting  a  re- 
luctant homage  from  the  infidel ;  and  even  of  melting 
into  cordial  penitence  and  love  the  hardest  heart. 
Many  a  man,  who  had  resisted  with  apparent  ease 
every  other  weapon,  has  been  overcome  by  the  pow- 
er of  embodied,  living  religion,  and  been  constrain- 
ed to  confess  with  trembling — Truly,  this  is  the  fin- 
ser  of  God !  A  distinguished  unbeliever,  of  the  last 


28 

century,  after  spending  a  few  days  at  the  residence 
of  an  eminently  pious  minister,  was  so  deeply  im- 
pressed with  his  pure,  benevolent  and  heavenly  con- 
versation, that  he  said — "  I  must  leave  this  house. 
If  I  remain  here  a  day  longer,  I  shall  become  a 
christian  in  spite  of  myself." 

Such  are  the  principal  weapons  which  it  becomes 
christian  ministers  to  employ,  and  which  w<i  may 
confidently  hope  the  great  Head  of  the  church. will 
bless.     For,  says  the  apostle, 

II.  They  are  mighty  through  God  to  the  pul- 
ling DOWN  OF  STRONG  HOLDS.  This  is  the  se- 
cond point  demanding  attention. 

This  form  of  expression  plainly  implies,  that  car- 
nal weapons  are  not  mighty  ;  that  they  are  not 
POWERFUL  to  promote  the  great  ends  of  overcoming 
the  enemies  of  the  cross,  and  extending  the  reign  of 
pure  and  undefiled  religion.  And,  accordingly,  all 
testimony  serves  to  shew  that  this  is  really  the  case  : 
that  for  effecting  these  objectsthey  are  the  most  pow- 
erless imaginable.  Racks,  gibbets,  the  magistrate's 
sword,  and  "  Acts  of  Uniformit}',"  have  made  hypo- 
crites by  thousands  ;  but  they  have  never  yet  made 
a  christian  ;  and  they  never  will  or  can  make  one, 
as  long  as  the  nature  of  man,  and  the  kingdom  of 
God  retain  their  essential  characters. 

Let  those  who  doubt  this,  recollect  for  a  moment, 


21) 

the  nature  of  the  strong  holds  which  christi'aii 
ministers  are  commissioned  to  pull  down.  They 
are  not  those  of  physical  hut  of  moral  power.  They 
are  those  of  pride,  unhelief,  self-righteousness,  love 
of  The  world,  superstition,  sensuality,  and  all  that 
enmity  to  God,  his  truth,  and  his  commandments, 
which  every  where  characterize  unsanctified  men ; 
toojether  with  all  those  vain  pleas  by  which  they  are 
wont  to  excuse,  if  not  justify  themselves  in  their 
rebellious  course.  In  these  strong  holds,  the  chil- 
dren of  this  world  are,  as  it  were,  intrenched  And 
the  success  of  the  "good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ," 
consists  in  pulling  down  their  unhallowed  fortifica- 
tions, and  constraining  them  to  surrender  themselves 
willing  captives  to  the  blessed  Redeemer  :  or,  as  our 
context  expresses  it,  in  casting  down  imaginations^ 
and  every  high  thing  that  exalt eth  itself  against  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every 
thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ. 

Such  being  the  nature  of  the  conquest  to  be  ef- 
fected, it  is  perfectly  manifest  that  carnal  weapons 
are  by  no  means  adapted  to  accomj)lish  the  end. 
A  free,  unconstrained  choice  is  essential  tOimoral 
agency.  Om-  Creator  has  made  it  the  duty  of  every 
man  to  engage  in  his  service,  as  matter  of  enlight- 
ened conviction,  and  deliberate,  volimtary,  cordial 
preference.     If  we  were  required  to  give  a  defmiiioa 


30 


of  true  religion,  we  should  answer — '*  It  is  receiving 
and  obeying  the  gospel  in  the  love  of  it."  Or,  we 
should  say,  "  It  is  voluntarily  choosing,  and  heartily 
following  Christ,  as  our  Teacher,  Redeemer,  and 
Sovereign."  But  how  can  this  be  wrought  in  the 
mind,  or  enforced,  by  carnal  weapons?  Such  wea- 
pons cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things,  reach  the  ob- 
ject. Men  may,  indeed,  be  constrained  to  perform 
certain  external  acts,  by  the  dread  of  secular  penal- 
ties, or  by  the  hope  of  temporal  rewards.  But  is 
this  true  religion  ?  It  may  be  policy,  or  hypocrisy, 
or  priestcraft,  or  statecraft;  but  true  religion  it  can- 
not be.  The  idea  of  compelling  men  to  believe,  or 
oi  bribing  ox  forcing  xhem  to  love,  is,  surely,  in  the 
very  first  rank  of  absurdities. 

But  further ;  the  use  of  carnal  weapons,  for  pro- 
moting religion,  is  not  only,  in  its  own  nature,  absurd 
and  preposterous  ;  but  it  is  also  an  unhallowed  at- 
tempt to  usurp  the  authority  of  God.  He  alone  is 
Lord  of  the  conscience.  To  attempt,  therefore,  to 
tamper  with  it  by  secular  weapons,  or  to  apply  means 
of  external  coercion,  where  the  devotion  of  the 
heart  is  the  service  required, — is  a  presumptuous  in- 
terference with  the  Divine  prerogative.  It  is  like 
endeavouring,  by  pillars  of  brass  or  marble,  to  prop 
up  the  heavens. 

Nor  is   this  all;  the  use  o(  carnal  xocapons,   m 


31 

moral  and  spiritual  concerns,  is  not  only  absurd  and 
impious ;  but  experience  lias  shown  that  they  can 
never  answer  the  end  which  those  who  employ  them 
profess  to  seek.  They  have  invariably  proved  them- 
selves to  be  worse  than  useless  in  promoting  the 
cause  of  genuine  Christianity.  The  moment  they 
began  to  be  used  for  promoting  the  spread  of  the 
gospel,  its  lustre  began  to  be  dimmed,  and  its  pow- 
er to  decline.  Men  found  that  when  they  em- 
])loyed  unhallowed  means  to  fdl  the  house  of  God, 
they  seldom  failed,  by  those  very  means,  to  empty 
it.  1  grant,  indeed,  that  power,  and  wealth,  and 
splendid  civil  establishments,  may  appear  to  be  ef- 
fectual, for  a  time,  in  building  up  what  many  sup- 
pose to  be,  and  call,  Religion.  They  may  multiply 
and  adorn  gorgeous  edifices  for  worship  ;  they  may 
found  rich  endowments  for  enabling  ecclesiasticks 
to  live  in  luxury  ;  they  may  impart  to  all  the  out- 
ward accommodations  and  ceremonial  of  religion, 
an  imposing  magnificence;  and  they  may  allure 
multitudes  of  the  affluent  and  the  learned  into  the 
church,  and  many  a  graceless  votary  of  ambition  in- 
to the  sacred  ministry.  But  this  is  not  prompting- 
real  religion.  It  is,  in  truth,  pursuing  a  course  di- 
rectly calculated  to  destroy  it.  When  Christianity, 
in  primitive  times,  had  nothing  to  depend  upon,  un- 
der God,  but  her  moral  power,  that  is,  the  simplest 


32 

moral  means ;  then,  in  the  midst  of  persecution, 
she  made  a  progress,  and  displayed  a  power  more 
astonishing  to  the  contemplative  heathen,  than  the 
most  signal  miracles  of  her  inspired  ministers.  They 
saw  the  servants  of  Christ,  going  forth,  without  the 
least  aid  from  the  great  ones  of  the  earth  ;  nay,  in 
direct  opposition  to  all  the  wealth,  the  power,  and 
the  supersthion  of  the  world.  They  saw  them 
bearing  no  fleshly  weapons  ;  nothing  but  the  simple 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  to  the  Jews  a  sinmbUng 
block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness.  Yet  they  saw 
this  simple  weapon  triumphant  over  all  that  flesh 
and  blood  could  oppose  to  it.  They  saw  the  reli- 
gion of  Christ  makin<i;  its  way  in  spite  of  the  allure- 
ments of  sense,  the  frowns  of  power,  and  the  fires  of 
martyrdom.  They  saw  it  converting  the  blood- 
thirsty savage,  into  a  model  of  clemency  and 
benevolence  ;  transforming  the  hardened  blasphemer 
into  a  devout  worshipper,  and  the  bitter  persecutor 
into  a  zealous  apostle  of  that  faith  which  once  he  de- 
stroyed; making  the  abandoned  voluptuary  tempe- 
rate and  pure;  the  fraudulent, just;  the  avaricious, 
charitable  ;  the  passionate,  meek  and  placable  ;  and 
the  proud  infidel,  an  humble  suppliant  for  pardon 
through  that  blood  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin. 
Then  the  ivord  of  the  Lord  had  free  course  and  ivas 
glorified.      Then    mnllitudes  were    added    to  the 


5S 

ehurch  of  such  as  were  saved.     Tfien  the  churches, 
blessed  with  an  huinljic,  spiritual,  Jimi  Uevote.l  tuiuis- 
try,  and  wafking  together  in  the  fear  of  the   Lord, 
and  in  the  consolations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  c-ii- 
fied    and    comforted.     In    short,  thkn    the   church 
probably  held  a  more  exalted  station  with  rejiard  to 
vital  piety ;    the   holy  flame  of   faith,  and  love,  and 
spiritual  obt^dience,   rose  hi»lier  and  shone   briiihfiiir, 
than  at  any  period  since  that  time.     But  whenever 
carn<d weapo7is  be^aa  to  interpose: — when  imperial 
power  and  splendour  began  to  take  the  side  of  the 
church  ;    when    emperors  began  to  invite  ecclesias- 
ticks  to  their  courts,  and  to  load  them  with  emolu- 
ments and  honours  ;    wheii  the  doctrines  and  claims 
of  the  church  began  to  be  enforced  by  civil  penalties; 
when  a  pampered  priesthood  began  to  exhaust  their 
ingenuity  in  rendering  the   publick  service  a  gaudy 
and  dazzling  ritual  : — from   that  hour,  real   religion 
declined.     The  fire  of  love  and  zeal  was  extinguish- 
ed.    Ministers,  in  a  great  degree,  lost  their  spiritual- 
ity.    The  massof  the  people  soon  became  like  their 
teachers.     And  the  church,  instead  of  continuing  to 
be  that  holy,   spiritual  body   which  she  once    vvas, 
became  a  splendid,  rich,  corrupt,   worldly  church, 
over  which,  while  the  gay  and  ambitious  rejoiced,  the 
truly  pious  were  constrained  to  mourn. 
And  in  all  cases  in  which  the  same  simple  spirit- 

T. 


^ 

ual   vvoiipous,  wliicii  wrought  sucli   moral  miracles 
in  the  primitive  church,  have  been  faithfully  employ- 
ed, the  same  blessed  results  have  been  invariably,  in 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  manifested.     Yes,  brethren, 
wherever  and   whenever  the  same  weapons,  which 
in  the  hands  of  the  primitive  ministers  of  Christ, 
were  so  powerful,  are  honestly  and  diligently  wield- 
ed^ in  the  same  spirit  as  by  those  devoted  men  ;  they, 
wijl  assuredly, be  found,  as  then,  mlghUj  through  God 
to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds.     The  proudest 
columns  of  the  enemy,  however  apparently  formida- 
ble, will  melt  away  before  them.     I  will  not,  indeed, 
undertake  to  define  the   measure  of  success,  which 
will  attend  the  ministry  of  him  who  faithfully,  con- 
sistently and   constantly  plies  the  genuine  weapons 
of  the  gospel.     I  cannot  assert  that  success  is  the 
natural  effect  of  fidelity ;  for  I  know  that  without  the 
blessed  power  of  God,    it  will   not  follow  the  very 
best  endeavours.     Nor  can  I   venture  to  pronounce, 
that  success  will  be,  in  all  cases,  in  exact  proportion 
to  fidelity  ;  for   I  recollect  that  God  is  a  Sovereign. 
But  I  have  no  doubt,   at  the  same   time,   that  all 
scripture,  and  all  experience  warrant  us  in  laying  it 
down,  with  confidence,  as  a  general   principle,  that 
eminent  personal  holiness  and  official  fidelity  in  min- 
sters of  the  gospel,  will  usually  be  found  connected 
^vith  eminent  success  in  wiiming  souls  to  Christ. 


35 

It  can  by  no  means,  indoed,  be  maintained,  that, 
whenever  a  revival  of  religion  occurs,  and  the  strong 
holds  of  sin  and  satan  are  pulled  down,  it  follows  of 
course,  that  the  minister  who  is  instrumental  in  this 
work,  is  himself,  certainly,  a  pious  man,  and  his  wea- 
pons all  purely  spiritual.  A  man  who  is  utterly 
graceless,  maybe  made,  in  the  dispensations  of  a  so- 
vereign God,  instrumental,  in  imparting  grace  to  oth- 
ers. But  my  position  is,  that  where  his  sfiirit,  his  life 
and  his  weapons  are  all,  in  a  good  measure,  such  as 
they  ought  to  be,  he  will  not  fail  of  being  successful. 
I  repeat  it,  brethren,  if  a  minister  of  the  gospel  will, 
simply,  humbly,  wisely,  steadily,  affectionately,  and 
perseveringly,  employ  those  weapons  of  which  the 
apostle  speaks,  and,  at  the  same  time,  honour  Cod, 
by  unfeignedly  looking  to  Him  alone  to  make  them 
effectual;  I  could  as  soon  doubt  that  Jehovah  has 
made  promises  to  his  church,  and  that  He  will  be 
faithful  to  what  He  has  said,  as  doubt  that  a  revi- 
val of  his  work,  and  a  display  of  his  glory,  will  be 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  blessed  result. 

It  appears  to  me  that  the  whole  history  of  the 
church  confirms  this  position.  In  what  part  of 
Christendom  was  there  etw  an  enlightened,  spiritu- 
al, exemplary,  faithful  ministry  at  work,  without  ma- 
ny visible  and  precious  seals  to  its  fidelity  ?  Even 
when  apparent  exceptions  have  occurred,  have  they 


86 

ijot   proved,  on  exnniination,  to  be  rather  apparent 
than   real  ?    A   preacher,   indeed,   may  declare   the 
truth  in  its  pnrity  every  time   he  opens  his  mouth ; 
and  yet  he  may  do  it  in  so  cold,  pointless,  and  un- 
interesting a  manner,  that  no  rational    man   could 
expect  him  to   make  an  impression.     Or,  he  may 
preach   the  truth,    a,nd  do  it  with   inimitable  force, 
fervour  and  skill  ;and,  at  the  same  time,  out  of  the 
pulpit,   manifest  so  little  of  the  christian  spirit,  and, 
perhaps  even   so  much  of  the  opposite  spirit,  as   to 
couutfract  all  his  publick   labours.     Or,  he  may  be 
faitldul  as  a  preacher,  and  exemplary  as  a  man  ;  and 
yet  be  so  habitually  indolent,   as  enrirely  to  neglect 
the   children  of  his  charge,  and  by  no   means  to  fol- 
low up,  by  his  efforts  from  house  to  house^  what  he 
may  have  begun  in   the  sanctuary.     Can  it  be  w  on- 
derful,  or  is  it  in    the  least   degree  adverse  to  what 
seems  to  be  the  spirit  of  our  text,  that  such  men  have 
little  or  no  success?    It  is  only  where  the  weapons 
in  question  are,  all  of  them,  honestly,   consistently, 
and  with  son>e  tolerable  degree  of  dilijience,  empl(»y- 
ed,  that    vv(  have  a  right  to  anticipate  the    plenary 
blessing.      If,  in   such   case,  there  has  ever  been  a 
failure  of  the  blessing,  it  is  more  than  has  ever  come 
to  my  knowledge,  or,  as  I  verily  believe,   to  the 
knowledge  of  any  other  man. 

But  we  are  reminded  by  our  text,  that  this  happy 


37 

• 
result,  whenever  it  occurs,  is  not  ©/"man,  or  6?/ man; 

bur  all  of  God.  Mighty  through  God,  says  the 
Apostle,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds.  That  is, 
the  loeapons  of  our  warfare  do  not  produce  their  ef- 
fect in  virtue  of  their  own  natural  enero;y,  or  in  vir- 
tue of  the  wisdom  or  power  of  us  who  wield  them  ; 
but  they  are  mighty  throujjh  that  God  whose  power 
works  hy  them.  Not  by  mighty  nor  by  power — that 
is,  hy  human  mi^ht  or  power,  Ijut  by  my  Spirit, 
sajth  Jehovah.*  We  have  this  treasure— i\\e  treasure 
of  the  gospel — says  the  apostle — in  earthen  vessels, 
that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  seen  to  be 
of  God,  and  not  ofus.f  Even  when  the  inspired 
Paul  planted,  and  the  eloquent  Apollos  watered, 
God  gave  the  increase.  So  then,  neither  is  he  that 
plantelh  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth,  but  God 
that  giveth  the  increasf-X 

The  foregoing  illustration  of  the  spirit  of  our 
text,  suggests  to  us  a  variety  of  practical  inferences, 
to  some  of  which,  allow  me,  before  I  close,  to  sg-» 
licit  your  serious  attention  :    and, 

I.  The  principles  laid  down  seem  to  me  instrue-' 
live  as  to  the  question,  what,  and  how  far  christians, 

AS  CHRISTIANS,  HAVE  TO  DO  WITH  CiVIL  GO- 
VERNMENT. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  of  this  ivorld.   And 

*  Zechariah  iv.  6.  f  2  Cor.  iv.  7.  t  1  Cor.  iii.  7. 


38 
• 
if  all  carnal  weapons  are  prohihited  in  ])romotine,  the 

extension,  and  in  conducting  the  affairs  of  this  king- 
dom ;  then  it  is  evident  that  the  civil  majiistrate,  as 
such,  has  no  right  to  interpose  in  the  affairs  of  the 
church,  either  with  his  sword  or  his  regulations;  that 
he  has  no  right  either  to  reward  or  to  punish  men 
for  their  religious  o[)inions,  in  any  case  or  way  what- 
ever. Man  is  accountable  to  God  alone  for  his  reli- 
gious creed,  and  his  religious  practice.  As  long  as 
he  disturbs  not  the  peace  of  society,  no  one  has  a 
riaht  to  call  him  to  an  account  for  either.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  to  say,  as  some  have  done,  that  chris- 
tians have  nothing  to  do  with  civil  government,  is  to 
sa}'^,  that,  in  becoming  christians,  they  cease  to  he 
men ;  and  that  the  Bible  contains  no  instructions 
or  precepts  applicable  to  christians  as  members  of 
civil  societ3^  The  church,  and  the  states  or  king- 
doms of  this  world,  are  entirely  separate  govern- 
ments. Neither  can  ever  be  subjected  to  the  other,  as 
.such,  without  mischief  But  the  members  of  both 
Leing,  in  many  cases,  the  same;  and  the  laws  of 
Christ  extending  to  all  the  relations  and  duties  of 
men ;  it  can,  in  no  case,  be  strictly  said,  either  that 
christians  have  nothing  to  do  with  politicks,  or  that 
the  magistrate  has  nothing  to  do  with  religion. 
Every  christian,  indeed,  ought  to  recoil,  with  in- 
stinctive dread  and  horror,  from  every  attempt  on  the 


39 

part  of  civil  government  to  interpose  in  the  afifairs 
of  the  church,  EVKN  ro  help  her.  As  members  of 
the  church  of  Christ,  we  need  no  other  help,  we 
wish  no  other,  than  to  enjoy  an  equ^l  protection 

WITH     OTHERS    IN    ALL    OUK    CIVIL    RIGHTS.        Nay, 

we  deprecate  the  thought  of  more  than  this.     When 
more  is  attempted,  there  is  death  in  the  unhallowed 
touch  ; — not  merely  to  one  of  the  parties,  as  in  the 
case  of   Uzzah  of  old ;    but,  I   had  almost   said,   to 
both  ;     and  to  both  it  certainly  would  be,  if  it  were 
possible  even  for  the  gates  of  hell  to  prevail  against 
the  Church.    Truly,  we  ouj^ht  to  be  jealous  of  every 
thin''-  which  brings  civil   government  into  contact 
with   the  church.      Rather,   much   rather,    let  the 
church  have    the  frowns  than   the   caresses  of  the 
world.     There  is  far  less  evil  to  be  apprehended 
from   the  former  than  from  the  latter.     Yet,  while 
we  say  this,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  on  the  one   hand 
that  every  civil  magistrate  ougiit  to  be  a  christian, 
to  love  the  church,  and  to  seek  to  promote  her  inte- 
rests:   and,  on  the  other,  that  every  christian  ought 
to  be  a  vigilant  and  active  patriot,  loving  his  coun- 
try, and  endeavouring  to  secure  her  welfare  continu- 
ally, by  faithfully  discharging  all  the  duties  of  a  good 
citizen.     That   man   ill,   indeed,   estimates   or  dis- 
ch'irses  the  duty  which  he  owes  to  .Him   who  is 
Head  over  all  things  for  the  Church,  who  acts  upon 


40 

the  principle,  that  he  has  no  concern  witli  the  civil 
government  under  which  he  lives ;  and  who  delibe- 
rately abandons  the  elective  franchise,  the  hall  of 
legislation,  and  the  court  of  justice,  to  the  enemies 
of  his  Saviour.  Instead  of  this,  let  him  faiihfully 
attend,  according  to  the  call  of  Providence,  on  eve- 
ry civil,  as  well  as  ecclesiastical  duty;  being  careful, 
to  whichever  of  them  he  addresses  himself,  to  em- 
ploy no  other  weapons, — to  take  no  other  course, 
than  those  which  become  him  as  a  chkistiaxN. 

2.  We  may  learn  from  this  subject  the  true  ideas 
that   ought  to  be  annexed  to  what  are  called  the 

RIGHTS     OF  CONSCIENCE  ; the  KIGHTS    OF    PlilVATE 

JUDGMENT. 

There  cannot  be  a  plainer  principle  than  that  the 
rights  of  conscience  are  inalienable.  No  man  has  a 
right,  if  he  could,  to  force  my  conscience;  nor  have 
I  a  right  to  force  that  of  any  other  man.  Nay, 
strictly  speaking,  the  thing  is  impossible.  1  may  co- 
erce his  body ;  I  may  tamper  with  his  conscience  ; 
I  may  tempt  it,  and  even  corrupt  it ;  but  coerce  it,  I 
cannot.  The  very  term  conscience,  implies  that  in- 
ternal conviction,  which  it  is  physically  impossible 
for  one  man  either  to  form,  or  to  controul,  for  ano- 
ther. But  while  we  admit,  nay  strenuously  main- 
lain,  the  sacredness  of  the  rijihts  of  consr-ience  ;  is 
it  any  violation   of  those  rigiits,  for  the  Church  to 


41 

exclude  any  man  from  her  commnnion  for  heresy  or 
immorality  ?    Certainly  not.       There   is  a  striking 
analogy,  in  this  respect,  between  religious  and  civil 
concerns,  which  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  subject. 
Every  man,  for  example,  has  an  undoubted  ri^ht  to 
dispose  of  his  own  property  as  he  pleases.     That  is, 
no  human  power  has  a  right  to  controul  him  in  this 
matter,  as  long  as  he  does  not  invade  the  peace  of 
society.     Yet  if  he  spend  his  property  in  degrading 
licentiousness,   and  prodigality,   every  soberminded 
person  will  consider  him  as  sinning  both  against  God, 
and  against  society.     And   if  he   go   to  a  certain 
length  in  this   course,  though  the  law  of  the  land 
may  not  take  hold  of  him.  he  must  not  be  surprized 
or  complain,  if  all  decent  people  drop  his   acquain- 
tance, and   decline  receiving  him  into  their  families. 
In  vain  will  he  appeal  to  the  publick,  and  say  that 
this  treatment  is  persecution ;  for  that  he  has  a  per- 
fect right  to  regulate   his  own  expenditures   as    he 
thinks  proper.     True  ;  and  his  neighbours  have  the 
same  unquestionable  right   to  bestow  their  respect 
and  countenance  on  whom  they  please,  and  to  with- 
draw them  from  whom  and  when  they  please.     So 
it  is  in  spiritual  concerns.     All  men,  undoubtedly, 
nave  a  right  to  believe  what  doctrines  they  choose, 
and  to  embrace  what  form  of  reliiiion  they  choose. 
Qod  forbid  that  this  right  should  ever  be  called  in 

F 


42 

question ;    or  ever,   for  one   moment,  assailed  with 
carnal  weapons.      But  the  church,  which  is  an  as- 
semhlage  of   individuals,  must   have  the  same  rij^ht 
to  judge  whether  she  can  agree  with  another  indivi- 
dual in  opinion,  and  walk  with  him  in  fellowship,  or 
not.      Of  course,  if  any  man  connected  with  the 
church  become  corrupt,  either  in  principle  or  prac- 
tise,   he   surely. has    no  reason   to  complain  if  the 
church  admonish  and  entreat  him  as  a  brother ;  and, 
if  he  persist  in  his  unhallowed  course,   if  she  with- 
draw from  him,  and  disown  him.     For  if  it  be  a  vi- 
lation  of  the  rights  of  conscience,  for  the  church,  in 
such  case,  to  withdraw  from  him  ;  then  it  is  an  equal 
violation  of  the  rights  of  conscience,  for  an  individu^ 
al  to  withdraw    from  a  corrupt  and  apostate  churchy 
with  which  he  has  on  the  best  grounds,  become  dis- 
gusted, and  with  which  he  can  no  longer  worship  in 
comfort.     And  thus,  acting  on  the  principle  which 
some  contend  for,  instead  of  the  rights  of  conscience 
being  maintained,  all  real  enjoyment  of  those  rights 
would  be  banished  from  the  world.     No  individual, 
or  body  of  men  whatever    would   have   a   right  to 
choose  their  religious  principles  or  connections  for 
themselves  ! 

3.  The  principles  involved  in  our  text  plainly 
teach  us,  that  it  is  wrong  to  vindicate  any  doctrine, 
or  any  practise,  merely  on  the  ground  of  human  au- 


43 

THORiTY.  f f  good  men  have  used  carnal  tveapons, 
we  may  allow  them  to  have  been  good  men  ;  Itut 
we  must  not  imitate  them,  or  be  governed  by  their 
authority,  in  that  which  was  manifestly  contrary  to 
the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  This  is  one  of  the  j)rinci- 
pal  ways  in  which  error  has  obtained  currency,  and 
,  even  the  most  zealous  support,  and  sometimes  from 
those  who  verily  thought  they  were  thereby  doing 
God  service.  The  inspired  Paw/,  in  writing  to  the 
very  church  to  which  our  text  is  directed,  warns 
it  against  referring  to  human  names,  when  the 
great  principles  of  duty  are  in  question.  To  some 
who  had  said,  I  am  of  Paul,  and  lofApollus,  and  I 
of  Cephas,  and  I  of  Christ,  he  makes  the  solemn  ap- 
peal—  Was  Paul  crucified  for  you  ?  or  were  ye  bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  Paul  ?—Cali  no  man  master,  my 
friends,  one  is  your  master,  even  Christ.  What 
though  Origin  was  a  pious  man,  and  the  most  emi- 
iienily  learned  and  ingenious  divine  of  his  age ;  and 
what  though  Augustine  was,  perha|js,  the  most  il- 
lustrious name  for  sound  theology,  erudition,  zeal, 
spirituality,  and  usefulnes,  in  the  annals  of  the 
church,  from  the  second  to  the  sixteenth  century? 
Yet,  w.hen  the  former  gave  himself  up  so  unworthily 
to  allegorizing  dreams,  and  philosophical  specula- 
tions;  and  when  the  latter,  air)idst  all  his  pre-emi- 
nent worth,  yielded  to  so  many  of  the  popular  super- 


44 

stitions  of  the  day;  we  must  by  no  me^ns  attempt 
to  justify  all  that  they  taught.     What  though    Lu- 
ther^ Calvin^  and  Cranmer  were  inestimably  precio'is 
men,  and   wortliy  of  being  held   in  everlasting   re- 
membrance; the^/'5^,  for  a  |3iety,  holy  courage,  and 
decision  of  character,  for  which  the  whole  christian 
world  ought  ever   be   thankful ;    the  second^  for   a 
depth  of  penetration,  a  soundness  of  judgment,  an 
extent  of  learning,  and  an  ardour  of  zeal  for  Christ, 
which  the  friends  of  the    Redeemer's  kingdom  are 
bound  to  remember,   to  the  end  of  time,  with   the 
deepest  veneration;  and  the  third,  for  a  pious  devoted- 
ness    and  fidelity    which    should  never   be    alluded 
to  by  a  dutiful  son  of  the   reformed  church,  with- 
out some  epithet  of  honour  ?    Yet   when  Luther  in- 
dulged in  irascible  passion,  and  permitted  abnost  all 
his  polemical  writings  to  be  tarnished    w  ith  oppro- 
brious language  :  when  Ccdvin^s  name  and  influence 
were  implicated  in  the  burning  of  a  heretick  ;  and 
when  Cranmer  took  a  still  more  immediate   and  ac- 
tive })art  in  burning  at  least  four  persons  for  their  re- 
ligious belief;    let  us  not  attempt  their  justification. 
Their  error,  indeed, — I  speak  more  particularly  of 
the  error  of  the  two  latter, — was  rather  that  of  the 
age,  than  peculiarly  of  the  men  ;    for  the  rights  of 
conscience  were   then   understood    by  none.      Still 
they  erred — greatly  erred.     They  used  carnal  wea- 


45 

pons ;  and,  for  tliis  are,  of  course,  to  be  censured, 
not  imitated.  Again  I  say,  m_y  friends,  ue  are  not 
to  be  governed  b)  human  authority.  As  Protestants, 
as  disciples  of  Christ,  the  Biblk  is,  to  us,  the  only 

INFALLIBLE     KULt    OF     FAITH     AND   PRACTISE.       Thc 

first,  and  grand  question  for  us  to  ask,  therefore,  is, 
not — whether  ''any  of  the  rulers  have  believed"  a 
certain  doctrine,  or  adopted  a  certain  course  ?  Not, 
whether  this  or  that  distinguished  man,  has  embra- 
ced a  particular  opinion  ?  Not  even,  how  the  Church 
has  decidt-d  respecting  it  ;  but — What  saith  the 
scripture  ?  Let  the  Word  of  God  be  our  rule ;  let 
it  furnish  all  the  iveapons  we  employ;  and  we  may 
confidently  look  for  a  blessing. 

4.   We  may  learn  from  this  subject,  in  what  con- 
sists THAT  SUCCESS   IN  HIS  OFFICIAL  WOKI^,  which  a 

minister  of  the  gospel  ought  to  desire  and  seek. 
Not  in  merely  collecting  and  attaching  to  his  person, 
a  large  and  admiring  congregation.  Not  in  making 
his  own  learning,  talents,  and  accomplishments,  the 
objects  of  popular  ap})lause  and  idolatry.  Not  even 
in  filling  the  church  with  multitudes  of  decent  pro- 
fessors. A  minister  may  attain  all  these,  in  as  high 
a  degree  as  man  ever  did  ;  and  yei,  in  the  most  im- 
portant sense,  be  wholly  without  success  in  his  min- 
isterial work.     Ihe  most  precious  kind  of  success  j 


4e 

that  which  he  ought  to  desire,  and  to  pray  for  with- 
out ceasing,  consists  in  his  ministrj  being  hh'sscd  to 
the  conversion  of  sinners ;  in  pulling  down  the  strong 
holds  of  enmity  and  disobedience  in  which  they  are 
intrenched;  in  drawing.them  gway  from  their  infa- 
tuated connection  with  sin  and  satan,  and  all  that  is 
corrupting  and  deji;rading  in  their  subjection  to  both  ; 
in  leading  them  to  a  vital  union  and  obedience  to 
the  Saviour:  in  short,  in  bringing  the  impenitent  to 
the  true  knowledge  and  love  of  the  gospel,  and  in 
building  up  believers  in  faith  and  holiness  unto  sal- 
vation. This  is  the  success  for  whi(  h  a  gospel 
minister  should  look,  and  labour,  and  pray,  and  no- 
thins:  -^hort  of  which  ounht  ever  to  satisfy  him. 

I  grant,  indeed,  that  an  enlightened  and  faithful 
gospel  minii^'try,  may  be,  and  constantly  ts,  produc- 
tive of  many  subordinate  effects,  which  are  of  great 
value  in  society.  It  tends  to  advance  the  interests 
of  general  knowledge  in  the  world.  It  promotes  or- 
der, polish,  and  decorum  in  social  intercourse.  It 
makes  better  members  of  the  society  of  men  on  earth, 
thousands  and  millions  who  will  never  be  prepared 
for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  But  still, 
the  higher  effects  which  1  have  mentioned,  are  the 
great  and  most  blessed  constituents  of  success. 
Where  they  are  never  attained,  the  most  important 
ends  of  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  are  never  at- 


47 

tained.  And  where  this  is  the  case,  even  the  subor- 
dinate benetits  of  which  I  have  spoken,  generally 
fail  in  a  corresponding  degree. 

5.   We  learn,  from    the  spirit  of  our  text,  what 

MIlNISTEll  IS    MOST  LIKELY    lO  BE    SUCCESSFUL  in  his 

ministerial  work.  Not,  by  any  means,  as  a  matter 
.  of  course,  he  who  is  the  most  learned  divine.  Not 
he  who  dwells  most,  in  his  puhlick  or  private  in- 
struction, on  the  j^/ti/o.s'opA?/ of  religion.  Not,  in  all 
cases,  the  most  eloquent  preacher.  Not  he  who  is 
most  confident  of  success.  Not  he  who  feels  most 
self-complacency  in  the  contemplation  and  prospect 
of  success.  But  he  is  most  likely  to  be  suc- 
cessful in  his  ministerial  work,  v\ho  himself  most 
cordially  loves  the  gospel ;  who  enters  most  deeply 
into  its  power  and  sweetness,  as  a  matter  of  practi- 
cal experience  ,*  who  preaches  it  most  simply,  intel- 
ligently, earnestly  and  affectionately  ;  who  prays 
most  fervently  for  the  manifestation  of  its  saving 
power;  and  who  exemplifies  its  benign  effects  most 
.  uniformly  in  his  own  temper  and  life.  That  man 
may  hope  for  a  blessing  on  his  ministry.  Such  a 
MAN,  I  will  venture  to  say,  never  failed  of  being 
favoiH'ed  with  limes  of  refreshing  and  revival  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  In  short,  if  the  faithful 
minister  can  have,  and  ovs[ht  to  have  no  other  influ- 
once  than  that  which  is  of  a  aioral  kino  ;    if  mokax: 


48 

WEAPONS  are  the  only  weapons  which  lie  oun;ht  to 
attempt  to  wield ;  then  it  is  phiin,  that  he  who  dis- 
plays, both  in  speech  and  action,  the  largest  portion 
of  moral  truths  moral  beauty^  and  moral  glory,  will 
be  most  \\ke\y  to  exert  that  happy  moral  influence, 
which  of  all  others,  is  most  desirable  and  precious. 
This  is  a  kind  of  exertion,  which,  when  genu- 
ine, was  never  lost.  And,  as  long  as  God  is  faithful, 
he  who  is  steadfast,  immoveable,  always  abounding 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  will  find  that  his  labour  is 
not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  On  the  other  hand,  that 
minister  who  expects  to  have  a  particle  of  salutary 
influence  in  the  world,  l)eyond  his  own  solid  moral 
worth,  and  moral  influence  ;  in  other  words,  beyond 
the  degree  in  which  he  preaches  the  Saviour's  truth, 
and  manifests  the  Saviour's  loveliness,  in  his  own 
spirit  and  practise,  will  be  likely  to  be  most  egrc- 
giously  disappointed.  There  is  a  power  in  con- 
sistent holiness,  which  belongs  to  nothing  else  be- 
neath the  throne  of  God, 

(i.  Our  text  affords  many  important  sugirestions 
to  the  young  Servant  of  Christ,  who  is  about,  to-day, 
to  be  constituted  a  Pastor  of  this  church. 

My  dear  Son,  both  the  language  and  the  spirit  of 
the  text  admonish  you,  that  your  ministerial  work,  ^ 
if  you  be  faithful   in  it,  will  be  foimd   a  continual 
WAUFAUE  ;  a  warfare  against  all  that  is  hostile  in  the 


49 

Iirart  of  in:ui  to  tlie  pure  gospel  of  Christ  ;  a  war- 
fare ajiaiiisT  piide,  and  unbel'u'f,  and  appetito,  and 
passion,  and  avarice,  and  selfishness,  and  all  that  ex- 
alteth  itself  against  God  and  holiness.  Whether 
you  have  respect  to  joiir  own  heart,  or  the  hearts  of 
others,  every  inch  of  ground  that  is  gained,  from 
conversion  to  glorification,  is  to  be  gained  by  fight- 
ing. Go  forth,  then,  to  your  work,  with  the  spirit 
of  a"  soldier;"  expecting  to  fight ;  willing  to  fight  : 
and  confidently  anti(tipating  the  victory.  Not,  in- 
deed, anticipating  it,  as  a  ct^lebrated  young  Refi)rQi- 
er,  in  the  beginning  of  his  course,  did  ;  who  felt  as 
if  the  force  of  his  preaching  must  bear  down  all  op- 
position ;  but  who  was  afterwards  constrained  to 
confi'ss,  that  "  old  Adam  was  too  strong  for  young 
Melancihon.''''  Let  your  anticipations  be  rather 
founded  on  the  mighty  power  of  C'.d,  and  on  the 
promise  of  his  grace  to  those  who  employ  with  fide- 
lity  the  armour  which  Himself  has  furnished. 

But  our  text  Anther  admonislies  you,  in  this  war- 
fare, tOBKW^XRK  OF  THE  WEAPONS    YOC  E.MPLOV.       As 

to  tlie  weapons  of  persecutioii,  of  secular  penult  ij  in 
any  form,  I  bless  God  that  they  are  equally  preclu- 
ded, by  your  own  disposition,  and  by  the  political 
charters  under  which  it  has  pleased  him  mercifully 
to  cast  our  lot.  But  think  not  that  these  are  the 
only  weapons  interdicted  by  your  ^Master.     Beware 


50 

of  carnal  wisdom,  carnal  passion,  cariial  reasoning, 
carnai  j)rndi  nee,  carnal  mana^cmrnt,  cansal  substi- 
tutes of  an}  kind,  for  those  simple,  spiritual ^^eapons 
which  Jehovah  hath  authorized.  Never  attenijst  to 
pronime  relifjidn  by  any  other  methods  than  those 
which  the  Word  of  (rod  warrants.  Go  not  forth 
with  S'tuVs  armour;  but  with  the  si^mple  sling  and 
stone  with  which  it  becomes  thf  good  soldier  of  Je- 
sus Christ  to  meet  those  who  defy  the  armies  of  the 
living  God.  The  ^reat  Head  of  the  church  has  not 
authorized  }'ou,  or  any  other  minister,  to  lord  it 
over  the  consciences  of^nen,  or  to  hurt  a  liair  of  any 
man's  head  on  account  of  his  relifj;ious  belief.  The 
onlv  means  intrusted  to  vou  are  moralmeans.  You  are 
calle(!,  to  hp'-eech  men,  by  the  meekness  and  genile- 
7iess  of  Christ,  to  be  reconciled  to  God ;  to  instruct 
tbenj,  to  persuade  them,  to  entreat  them,  to  pray  for 
them,  and  to  win  thcnn  by  the  lustre  of  your  exam- 
ple. These  alone  are  your  weapons  Whatever 
form  of  opposition  you  may  be  called  to  encounter, 
never  think  of  employ  inji;  any  other.  Employ  these, 
however,  with  indefatigable  diligence.  Whether 
men  uill  hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear,  follow 
them,  with  your  instructions,  your  entreaties,  and 
your  prayers,  meekly  and  patiently,  to  your  latest 
breath.  And  even  if  some,  in  the  bitterness  of  their 
hostility,  should  be  prompted  to  oppose  you  with 


51 

personal  violence;  (in  supposinj^  this  possible,  I,  of 
course,  refer  to  none  in  this  coiitrre^rjuion)  s^y,  with 
the  ilhistrious  htnithen  chief,  "  Strike,  bat  hear  me  I" 
or  Hither,  with  One  greater  Jhan  my  mortal  cham- 
pion— Father^  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do  ! 

While  on  the  subject  of  the  weapons  you  emi)l()y, 
allow  me  again  to  put  you  on  your  guard,  in  preach- 
ing the   gospel,  against  substituting  the  refinements 
of  philosophicil  speculation,  for  the  plainness  and 
siiiiplicity  of  Bil)le  truth.     The   latter  is  adapted  to 
every  capacity;  is  suited   to  every  age,   clime,  and 
state  of  society  ;  and  is  never  truly  presented,  with- 
out beneficial   effects.     The   former,  is   often  little 
better  than   a  caricature  of  the  gospel ;  and,  in  many 
cases,  is  much  tnore  fitted  to  make  sceptic ks  and  in- 
fidels, than  to  bring  men  to  sit,  as  little  children,  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus.     The  historv  of  religion  in   our 
own  country,  presents   m my  an  instructive  lesson 
on  this  subject.      Learn  wisdom  from  those   lessons. 
If  you  wish  your  preaching  to  be  most  useful,  let  it 
be   as  much  as  possible  conformed  to  the  apostolic 
model.     If  you  are  bound  as  to  the  matter,  why  not 
equally  as  to  the  manner,  to  preach  the  preaching 
which  your  Master  bids  you  ? 

And  white  our  text  warns  von  against  the  use  of 
unhallowed  weapons,  it  reminds  you  where  your  re- 


62 

liance  ought  constaiitlj  to  be  placed  for  success  in 
jour  work.  Wluu  David  went. forth  to  meet  the 
))roucl  Philistine,  he  said,  in  reply  to  his  insolent  de- 
fiance, I  come  to  thee  in  the  nuine  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  the  God  of  the  urmies  of  Israel.  Such  ought 
to  be  the  language  and  the  dependence  of  every  min- 
ister of  religion,  in  going  forth  to  his  warfare. 
There  can  scarcely  be  a  more  unpromising  appear- 
anie  than  to  see  him  u  ho  undertakes  to  fight  the 
battles  of  the  Lord,  confident  in  an  arm  of  flesh,  and 
relying  on  the  potency  of  his  own  efforts.  Very  dif- 
ferent was  the  s|)irit  of  the  apostle  Paw/.  When  I  am 
weak,  said  he,  then  am  I  strong.  Plainly  implying, 
than  when  he  was  most  sensible  of  his  own  weak- 
ness, and  most  completely  divcsttd  of  all  reliance  oil 
himself;  he  enjoyed  the  firmest  confidence  in  divine 
aid,  and  the  most  comfortable  anticipations  of  ulti- 
mate victory. 

Thou,  therefore,  mj/  Son,  he  strong  in  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  power  of  his  might.  Be  of  good  courage; 
for  the  battle  is  his;  and  he  will  never  send  you  a 
wa  faring  on  your  own  charges.  We  shall  all  look 
with  the  deepest  interest,  to  the  result  of  your  la- 
bours in  this  place.  You  are  about  to  be  connected 
with  one  of  the  most  important  Congregations  on 
this  hill  of  Zion  ;  and  to  be  united  with  a  venerable 
Colleague,   whose  age  and  cApiricnce  will  enable 


53 

him  to  give  you  many  a  valuable  lesson,  and  with 
whom  it  will  be  your  privilege  to  labour  as  a  son 
with  a  father.  Our  prayer  is,  that  the  Captain  of 
salvation  may  gird  you  with  strength,  and  inspire 
you  whh  wisdom;  and  that  the  ecclesiastical  rela- 
tion Which  is  this  day  formed,  may  be  productive 
of  lasting  comfort,  and  an  abundant  blessing. 

7.  Finally  ;  our  text  furnislics  matter  of  serious 
address  to  the  members  of  this  Congregation,  who 
are  this  day  to  receive  a  collegiate  pastor. 

You  have  heard  that  it  becomes  ministers  to  em- 
ploy no  other  than  spiritual  weapons,  in  their  war- 
fare with  human  corruption.  If  so,  it  becomes  those 
to  whom  they  minister,  to  be  workers  together  ivith 
them,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to  alleviate  all  the  bur- 
dens and  dangers  of  their  warfare.  If  your  pastors 
will  be  bound  to  labour  and  pray  without  ceasing, 
for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  yourselves,  and  your  chil- 
dren ;  can  it  be  necessary  to  employ  arguments  to 
show  that  you  ought  to  encourage  and  aid  them  in 
the  most  interesting  of  all  work  on  this  side  of  Ikni- 
ven?  In  addressing  you,  my  respected  Friends,  I  am 
persuaded  that  argument  is  not  necessary.  As  the 
only  weapons  they  will  ever  think  of  employiu"-, 
will  be  of  a  spiritual  kind  ;  so  these  are  precisely 
those  in  reference  to  w  hich  it  will  he  most  in  }onr 
power  to  l:clp  them.     You  can  help  them  much  bv 


54 

yielding  yours  fives  to  God^  as  those  who  are  alive 
from  thedead;  much  by  jour  prayers  ;  njucli  1)\  ear- 
ly and  faitht'iilly  training  up  your  children  in  ihe 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord ;  much  by  dili- 
gemly  and  consistently  maintaining  familv  reli- 
gion; much  by  exhibiting  a  britrht  example  ot  chris- 
tian holiness  in  all  your  temper  and  practise.  In  all 
these  ways,  you  may  hold  up  their  hands,  and  im- 
part a  joy  to  their  spirits,  which  none  but  faithful 
ministers  can  adequately  feel. 

R<  member,  too,  my  dearly  beloved  brethren,  that 
you  also,  as  well  as  your  ministers,  if  you  are  chris- 
tians, are  engag;ed  in  a  warfare^  each  one  for  himself, 
against  sin  and  satan,  and  all  the  powers  of  error  and 
wickedness.     In  this  warfare,  never  forget,  thai  spi- 
ritual  weapons  alone  can  avail  you  any  thing.     If 
you   desire  to  mortify  corruption,  to  resist  tempta- 
tion, to  overcome  the  world,  and  to  grow  in  grace, 
rely  not  upon  human  inventions  or  strength  to  accom- 
plish the  work.     Imagine  not  that  spiritual  maladies 
can  ever  be  reached  by  carnal  weapons  ;  or  that  real 
sanctification  is  ever  likely  to  be  promoted  by  ob- 
servances which  God  never  appointed.     But  be  un- 
ceasingly  diligent  in  the  use  of  all  those  spiritual 
means,  which  the  great  Author  of  salvation  has   in- 
stituted, and  xvhich  alone  we  have  reason   to  ex|)(Tt 
he  will  bless.     Look  to  Him.     Let  his  word  dwell 


55 

in  you  richly,  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understand- 
ing. Abound  in  prayer.  Make  new  and  daily  ap- 
plication, by  faith,  to  that  blood  which  cleansethfrom 
all  sin.  Let  the  love  of  Christ  constrain  you  to  af- 
fectionate and  holy  obedience.  Let  all  his  ordi- 
nances be  precious.  Put  on  the  ivhole  armour  of 
God.  Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith.  Quit  you  like 
men ;  be  strong. 

Soon  will  the  solemnities  of  this  day,  with  all 
their  momentous  results,  pass  in  review  before  a 
higher  tribunal  than  that  which  is  now  assembled  in 
the  house  of  God.  Then  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall 
appear,  to  take  an  account  of  his  servants,  and  of 
those  to  whom  they  have  ministered.  There  you 
and  your  children  must  meet  these  under  shepherds, 
and  answer  for  the  use  which  you  shall  have  made 
of  their  labours  for  your  benefit.  O,  may  it  be  to 
every  one  present  a  meeting  replete  with  joy  and 
with  glory  !  Amen  .' 


f.f 


'K 


